A Singapore-born veterinary surgeon practising in Australia was found to have engaged in inappropriate behaviour towards animals between August 2019 and September 2020.
Marcus Tan Wei Sheng admitted to consuming a dog's semen on one occasion but denied other allegations against him, including for touching of dogs and the performance of a vaginal examination of a dog where there was no legitimate medical purpose.
The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) found Tan guilty of unprofessional conduct based on four out of six grounds of complaint.
In a publicly available decision, the tribunal said they found Tan's conduct to amount to "unprofessional conduct".
The tribunal found there was "proper cause for disciplinary action against the respondent".
Documents reveal that Tan was born in Singapore and studied in Australia for six years, working as a veterinary surgeon.
He engaged in inappropriate acts with the animals at the clinic where he worked, where artificial insemination and breeding of animals took place.
On Sep. 10, 2020, a receptionist at the clinic, known as OQV, witnessed Tan aiming a green syringe used for semen collections at his mouth and pushing down on the plunger.
Tan admitted that he consumed a dog's semen on that day and thought he was doing it privately without harming or putting at risk of harm any animals.
He explained to the tribunal that he was interested in animal reproduction and that while reading articles, he read about the salt concentration of animal semen and became curious about the taste.
He explained that he wanted to understand the "properties" and then concluded it was "all about the taste".
When asked how others would think about what he done, he agreed that others might be repulsed by it but thought he was doing it in "private".
Tan denied doing the same on another occasion, but the tribunal accepted the witness's statements instead.
On Sep. 13, 2020, another veterinary nurse, known as LCO, saw Tan with a green syringe with a yellow catheter of the type used for artificial insemination attached to the end of it.
She observed him place the yellow catheter in his mouth.
This was after Tan performed an artificial insemination for a female yellow Labrador Retriever, known as YUN, owned by the Royal Society for the Blind, with LCO assisting.
Tan was also accused of inappropriately touching the Labrador Retriever on the same day.
LCO said that after the artificial insemination procedure, Tan was playing with the dog’s private parts in a way that was not relevant to the procedure.
She described standing there in shock as she also observed Tan's actions.
The patient record prepared by Tan for Sep. 13 did not refer to any examination of the dog's private parts
Tan denied the allegations, saying there was no reason for him to do what the nurse said he did.
"I only assisted [LCO] with moving [YUN] because she just needed help, and that's all," he claimed.
On numerous occasions throughout his employment between August 2019 and 15 September 2020, Tan was found to have touched both female and male dogs' private parts inappropriately.
A qualified vet nurse, known as BUI, recounted that Tan's manners with patients made her uncomfortable.
She observed Tan touching female dogs’ private parts in the surgery room where the dogs were being prepped for procedures, such as a caesarean or an artificial insemination.
The times he touched the dogs inappropriately when he was not performing a procedure were greater than the times she observed when he was the vet performing the procedure.
She also witnessed Tan in cages with dogs daily and saw him recording procedures with his phone.
Another senior veterinary nurse, known as KUJ, also observed Tan's inappropriate behaviour.
Once, she observed him sticking his hands down his pants after one such occasion.
Following the hearings, Tan was reprimanded, fined A$5,000 (S$4441) and can only practice under supervision and mentorship for a five-year period starting from Jan. 31, 2024.
The supervisor and mentor must also convene an in-person meeting with Tan at least once every two months to provide guidance and feedback and also give six-monthly reports to the Veterinary Surgeons Board of South Australia.
Before the conditions are lifted, Tan will have to be assessed by a psychiatrist and approved by the board as being "medically fit" to resume practice normally.
He was also ordered to pay the legal costs of A$27,000 (S$23,986).
Marcus Tan Wei Sheng admitted to consuming a dog's semen on one occasion but denied other allegations against him, including for touching of dogs and the performance of a vaginal examination of a dog where there was no legitimate medical purpose.
The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) found Tan guilty of unprofessional conduct based on four out of six grounds of complaint.
Unprofessional conduct
In a publicly available decision, the tribunal said they found Tan's conduct to amount to "unprofessional conduct".
The tribunal found there was "proper cause for disciplinary action against the respondent".
Documents reveal that Tan was born in Singapore and studied in Australia for six years, working as a veterinary surgeon.
He engaged in inappropriate acts with the animals at the clinic where he worked, where artificial insemination and breeding of animals took place.
Drank semen of dog
On Sep. 10, 2020, a receptionist at the clinic, known as OQV, witnessed Tan aiming a green syringe used for semen collections at his mouth and pushing down on the plunger.
Tan admitted that he consumed a dog's semen on that day and thought he was doing it privately without harming or putting at risk of harm any animals.
He explained to the tribunal that he was interested in animal reproduction and that while reading articles, he read about the salt concentration of animal semen and became curious about the taste.
He explained that he wanted to understand the "properties" and then concluded it was "all about the taste".
When asked how others would think about what he done, he agreed that others might be repulsed by it but thought he was doing it in "private".
Denied doing this same on another occasion
Tan denied doing the same on another occasion, but the tribunal accepted the witness's statements instead.
On Sep. 13, 2020, another veterinary nurse, known as LCO, saw Tan with a green syringe with a yellow catheter of the type used for artificial insemination attached to the end of it.
She observed him place the yellow catheter in his mouth.
This was after Tan performed an artificial insemination for a female yellow Labrador Retriever, known as YUN, owned by the Royal Society for the Blind, with LCO assisting.
Touched dog inappropriately
Tan was also accused of inappropriately touching the Labrador Retriever on the same day.
LCO said that after the artificial insemination procedure, Tan was playing with the dog’s private parts in a way that was not relevant to the procedure.
She described standing there in shock as she also observed Tan's actions.
The patient record prepared by Tan for Sep. 13 did not refer to any examination of the dog's private parts
Tan denied the allegations, saying there was no reason for him to do what the nurse said he did.
"I only assisted [LCO] with moving [YUN] because she just needed help, and that's all," he claimed.
Inappropriate touching of animal
On numerous occasions throughout his employment between August 2019 and 15 September 2020, Tan was found to have touched both female and male dogs' private parts inappropriately.
A qualified vet nurse, known as BUI, recounted that Tan's manners with patients made her uncomfortable.
She observed Tan touching female dogs’ private parts in the surgery room where the dogs were being prepped for procedures, such as a caesarean or an artificial insemination.
The times he touched the dogs inappropriately when he was not performing a procedure were greater than the times she observed when he was the vet performing the procedure.
She also witnessed Tan in cages with dogs daily and saw him recording procedures with his phone.
Another senior veterinary nurse, known as KUJ, also observed Tan's inappropriate behaviour.
Once, she observed him sticking his hands down his pants after one such occasion.
Reprimanded
Following the hearings, Tan was reprimanded, fined A$5,000 (S$4441) and can only practice under supervision and mentorship for a five-year period starting from Jan. 31, 2024.
The supervisor and mentor must also convene an in-person meeting with Tan at least once every two months to provide guidance and feedback and also give six-monthly reports to the Veterinary Surgeons Board of South Australia.
Before the conditions are lifted, Tan will have to be assessed by a psychiatrist and approved by the board as being "medically fit" to resume practice normally.
He was also ordered to pay the legal costs of A$27,000 (S$23,986).
